Post navigation

I knew it was going to be hot today, but I was still surprised this morning when I walked out my front door into a wall a stagnant, hot, wet air and I was still in the shade. At one point during my trip I passed a gas station and I could actually taste the gasoline in my mouth. Blehh!!!

My mother emailed and asked how I was holding up and I replied I was doing fine as long as the power didn’t go out. That was when I realized I did not have a plan for a power out in the heat. I have a plan and a kerosene heater for the winter. I have all the usual supplies. How am I going to stay cool and entertained if it is hot? How long will the city water stay on if I am sitting under the sprinkler? How fast will my computer and cell phone run out of power? Well I know the answer to that one at least.

What if I am stuck downtown and city transit goes to h###?

So gadget girl is going out to get a solar powered cell phone charger or maybe one that will keep a laptop going. I guess if I fill up a bucket with water and put my feet in it while sitting in the basement I don’t really need air conditioning or a sprinkler.

Now the big one. If I get stuck downtown and power is out that means no traffic lights, no streetcars and no subway. If it is hot I will really have a problem walking home. In good weather that would take about 3 hours. In hot weather that is a lot of blisters and heat rash. I could head away from my house to the lake pick a spot under a tree and wait out the worst of it. We had flooding in the city recently and it took about 5 hours before crowds started to thin out and that was not as serious. During hot, cranky weather I don’t know!

How do you think any of my friends who live downtown would feel about me showing up on their doorstep? Maybe if I brought my cellphone charger and crank radio I would be more welcome than an itchy rash on a hot day. Hmm this is a stumper.

I like to be able to take care of my own problems. I think most people do, but with this one I am just not very happy with my options. One thing I did learn from the flood is that downtown hotels gave discounted rates on the night of the flood. I wonder if they do that and let people into the hotel during a power out? Hmm… renting a room on the 30th floor during a power out. Do you think they have emergency power running the elevators?

Well I have some homework to do! Can you guess that I have anxiety issues? I have to create an elaborate plan for every possible hiccup in life!

P.S. I just got stuck in my office because the paint on the door glued itself together! Plan for that one!

Post navigation

Comments

I’m Feel’in Hot! Hot! Hot! — 15 Comments

It is hot. I too do not have backup plans. I am amazed how many people have generators, sump pumps, solar chargers. I am just not that able to plan.
But the heat affects my innards so as long as my sewer is working Im okay.

That is a good point. When I was in just a little better shape than I am now I was riding my bike into work and if I was still in that place my commute during a hydro outage would be no big deal for me.
Today is supposed to be the last day of our heat wave which should end with a massive thunderstorm. The sky is getting really dark very fast right now!

I am so unused to extended hot weather it never occurred to me to plan for it! Love the idea of solar powered chargers. And I agree, a 3 hour walk in scorching heat would not be fun. Is there a bike rental place anywhere on your route home? I thank goodness I don’t have a long commute. I can get from my home office to the kitchen no matter how awful the weather. 🙂

Solar panel chargers are a great idea but I have never actually seen one so not sure how good they would work. For my commute I had a fold away bike that I can fit to my rucksack. Very lightweight but luckily for me I have never had to use it yet.

This folding bike idea may just be exactly what I need. I have been waiting and waiting for the bike sharing service that my city has to extend service nearer my home so I can bike into the downtown early in the morning before traffic is crazy but not home again at night ’cause traffic is crazy. If I had a folding bike I could just take it on public transit to go home. Yes you can technically bring your full size bike on transit but not during peak hours and even off peak everybody will hate you!

I’m so sorry! I don’t mind the cold, but I just hate the heat! This summer, the temperatures have been relatively mild where I live, though it doesn’t matter that much since we got a new AC last April!

Power outages are never fun!! It is good to have a back-up plan so a solar panel cell phone charger seems like a great idea. I think they are quite cheap to buy and could get you out of a difficult situation one day:)

We live in tornado alley and have to have a plan in case of extended power outages. We haven’t as much as we should but we have water stored, flashlights, and a propane stove. Oh, and the most important thing around here – a storm shelter. 🙂

In 1998 we lost power for 2 WEEKS because of a freezing rain storm of immense magnitude. It was January. In Canada. No one was hot, I’m telling you!!! I’ve never been so cold in my life. The good part is we could leave produce and dairy on the countertop… it stayed good!